"the village"

Wow! Time sure flies and suddenly our blog is two or three weeks overdue...

Tedd & I:

We're doing great! Things are busy as always, but we're healthy, the Lord is protecting us, and we're still the best of friends! We're praying a lot about all the crossroads we face in the next year or so when it comes to topics like where we'd live, when we'd start a family, how we could expand our "tent-making" business, etc. We're approaching two full years of marriage this May (!!!) and we just happen to be in a season of life where there are SO many options and decisions to be made (or not made). It's actually very exciting

to have so many options and so many things to dream and think about, but we're praying for wisdom and that the Lord would make us like clay in His hands. So that's our personal life in a nutshell :-)

Lancaster Bible College Missions Conference:

The conference went so well (thank you for praying)! Since we're only a couple years out of college, we seem to blend into the college scene very quickly and the Lord lead us to many new friends and we met up with old friends too (from last year's conference) and deepened our friendships with them. Lots and lots of students are interested in teaching English overseas as a ministry, so we hope that we'll be able to help them find contacts overseas to pursue the interests that God has planted in them! We had a great time and we pray that God will bring forth some fruit from the seeds that were planted.

Guatemala:

Wow, good 'ole Guatemala...boy do I have some memories here! I lived with a family here 3 years ago for 5 weeks and it was one of the most significant breaking points in my entire life - I had a reeeeally tough time, but it was such a blessing b/c it was for the refining of my soul!

Anyway, so here we are again and we've been working on several different things since we've been here:

* we found a place to do a regional literacy institute later this year & decided on prices and dates (a big one on the to-do list!)

* it wasn't really an original goal, but b/c of the way things are in Latin America, we had an extra 5 days, so we went to Antigua & I studied for 5 days in a Spanish school to improve my Spanish. I think it helped a lot!

* we had lots of time to work on the music ministry

website that we hope to share with you soon!

Now for some great pics! After picking up John at the airport last week, we took a full-day bus ride to the Peten and then joined Calvary International to go out to the village "La Nueva Cesaltul" (I may have spelled that wrong) I have to say, I felt very intrusive with all of our camera equipment, but we have high hopes for the outcome! We're doing a video project with the villagers to capture their testimonies of how the literacy class in their village led some of them to Christ!! Here are some pictures of our stay in the village (we camped overnight!) and we can't wait to share the video with you when it's completed:

(above: inside a typical Ketchi home. It's a one-room house & I'm guessing at least 5 people sleep here, but probably more. Notice the rooster? The animals roam freely through the house. We have a lot to be grateful for)

(above: the Ketchi women's LITERACY class!!)

(above: reading the Bible in Ketchi)

(below: fascinated and giggling, kids gather around John's camera to watch the video screen)

(above: the kids follow the jungle trail to find sticks for roasting hot dogs later on with the gringos!)

It's been a great experience, as always, and I'm so thankful to God for softening my heart and humbling me time and time again by allowing me the privilege to see how other people live and think...my world-view is so small and limited. I pray that we can see the world the way the Lord does!

Until next time!

Catching Up

After getting back from Nicaragua back in November, it's been a whirlwind of holiday activities. We spent Thanksgiving with Tedd's family in PA, and Christmas with my family in AR. Included in the events were three of our dear friends' weddings: Tedd was a groomsman in one of 'em, I was a bridesmaid, Tedd played piano & guitar in 2 of them, and I sang in all three! They were busy and fun weekends!

Congratulations, Zach & Becki Hall, Chris & Arlene Cross, and Hunter & Alexis White! We love y'all.

On our way back from Pennsylvania to Arkansas, Tedd surprised me with a stop at the Whitestone Inn - a gorgeous B&B in Tennessee, and a convenient half-way point between destinations. I cried; it was incredibly thoughtful of him. The owners are Christians and offer their luxurious rooms for almost nothing to missionaries; we were so touched by their generosity.

There's a CD coming...no really, we mean it this time! How's mid February sound? Here's a sneak peak of the CD cover:

In other news, I had a funny cramping feeling on my lower right side last Monday. It didn't hurt too bad, but it didn't seem right, so I went to the hospital with Tedd to see if I might have appendicitis. Bingo. Two hospitalizations in less than two months. Anyway, after the diagnosis, I stayed that night, had a laparoscopic appendectomy the next day, and stayed another night to recover. I was blessed to be near my family and in-country. God is so awesome! I'm feeling much better now and I'm incredibly thankful to be living in a time when I can simply have my appendix removed.

Edit: Yesterday Tedd & I went to the surgeon for a follow-up visit. He told me I was "lucky," because I had a 7mm carcinoid tumor inside of the appendix I had removed. If the tumor had been 3mm larger, I would've had to have more surgery and half of my colon removed. If the tumor had not been placed right where it was in my appendix, I may not have had appendicitis, and therefore the appendix not removed, and therefore the tumor undiscovered. If the tumor had remained undiscovered, according to the doc., there was a possibility that it could have spread and caused severe complications. Wow - that kind of news is sobering for a 22-yr-old. (Yet because the tumor was less than 10mm, it's considered a done deal once it's removed....doc said we don't have to worry about it now)

BUT, we know there is really no "if." God had it all under control - He allowed the tumor to be discovered and removed. It's only one more story to add to my mental list titled "Remember When God..."

Be encouraged that He loves you, brothers and sisters, and that we are more vulnerable than we realize, but in our vulnerability, He's faithfully taking care of the things that are out of our control.

I'm so thankful for God's watch over me.

Thanks so much to those of you who sent me get-well e-mails and for your prayers.

Coming Up

January

Lancaster Bible College Missions Conference (19th-23rd)
***pray for students to catch the fire!

Leave for Guatemala (Jan. 25th)

February

Guatemala for Leader's Training promo. and Video project w/ J. Schultz (Jan. 25th - Feb. 15th)

March

India for Sadri Primer Construction (March 6th-April 4th)

I often say "your prayers are priceless" and they really are. This realization came during a time when I was desperately lonely, spiritually weak, and afraid. Knowing that righteous people were praying for me made me feel "not-forgotten" in my time of trouble and it was one of the greatest gifts that anyone could have given me.

I still feel that way - there are no words to express how valuable your prayers are, not only on Tedd's and my behalf, but on behalf of the weak and hopeless, the voiceless and the broken, and just any plain ole joe, really! Keep on prayin' - it's a genuine expression of love for humanity.
-em